if you are, like me, into whole foods and unprocessed plants you might like this one. how to make crispy polenta squares without using oil to fry them in – golden crunchy on the outside, cheesy gooey on the inside. the trick is amazingly simple – just coat the cold polenta squares with some of the uncooked polenta grain, and we get a crunchy breadcrumby texture.

i like serving these simply, with just a green salad and a hearty black bean salsa – a perfectly luxurious yet simple dinner.
oh i’ve got a recipe video for my black bean salsa planned for next week !

using polenta grain as breadcrumbs is perfect for anyone allergic to gluten, and a colourful fun way to add some crunch to anything from potato wedges to fried tofu. in this recipe i’m adding some spices to the polenta to add some flavour. but you can just go with the polenta in itself too if you want a plainer version.

– add the water to a pot and bring to a boil. stir in the polenta and minced garlic and cook for 5-7 minutes until thick and glossy. add the nutritional yeast and salt while stirring.
– spread out evenly (however thick or thin you like your squares) on a parchment paper and let cool completely in room temperature, takes about one hour.
– preheat your oven to 225°C / 440°F.
– mix all the coating ingredients in a bowl. cut the cooled off polenta into squares (or whatever shape you like) and dip each side of every square in the coating. place on a parchment paper lined oven tray and toast for about 5-10 minutes on each side, until golden and crispy. you can of course fry them in a pan instead of oven-toasting them too !

some other recipes i’ve made oil-free versions of :

and if you’re thinking of a dish you want me to share my recipe of, just let me know !

10 Comments

Ooh perfect! I’ve just gone through an entire month’s worth of posts, I think, and you just updated! I feel like reading your blog is nourishment for the soul, it always puts me in such a healthy (not just in terms of diet) perspective! I’ve actually never heard of polenta squares… It’s not that common round here in Singapore. They look rather interesting though, I’d probably go on a hunt in the supermarkets to try these!

I made this the other day and it was super yummie. However my polenta seemed to need more water, but I guess it depends on the type you’re using :) I really like what you do here, keep it up. lots of love xx